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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24324997">The Scar</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrashTrish/pseuds/TrashTrish'>TrashTrish</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aang's Scar (Avatar), Aged up Zukaang - Freeform, Bisexual Aang (Avatar), Bisexual Zuko (Avatar), Emotional, Emotional Hurt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, M/M, POV Zuko (Avatar), Zuko's Scar (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:26:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,888</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24324997</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrashTrish/pseuds/TrashTrish</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>They've talked about pretty much everything, except for one thing. Aang's scar. </p><p>Zuko doesn't want to dig up the painful memory of that day for Aang. He already carries it, he doesn't want to make Aang do the same. But Aang isn't afraid to confront it. The last barrier between them is a complex one tied up in the emotion of that shared moment in time. And Aang wants it to come down, once and for all.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aang/Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>318</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Forever Zukaang</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Scar</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This short fic was inspired by an ask from ohshititsjay on Tumblr. I hope this adds to the overall story I am telling with my fics. It was a nice one to write for them. I think it's an important part of their story.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This was supposed to be time for him to relax; to shut off his brain and enjoy the peace and quiet with Aang. Their lives were so busy, so they didn't get enough time for this. So why then, when Aang was nice and relaxed and he was right next to Aang, did he focus so incessantly on the scar on Aang's back. From his position on the bed, he could see the outline of it. The room was bright and the sun was shining in on them which only made the reddened skin more obvious and it bothered him. More than ever it bothered him.</p><p>But this wasn't the first time he thought about it. It wasn't even the first time he felt a pang of guilt when it crossed his mind. But in what should have been a nice moment, all he could do focus on was his part in Aang getting that scar and wondering how and why Aang forgave him for his part in it. After all, it was still something that gave Aang trouble. Not all the time. But he had been there when Aang needed to take his upper layers of clothing off to let the cool air at his back. He had once drawn Aang a bath when the pain got so bad he wasn't able to relax. Zuko had seen the way it impacted Aang's life. He lived it with him these days since they were all but officially living together. But this was the first time he ever felt it take over his every conscious thought. The worst part was he couldn't bring it up to Aang. He was afraid of hurting him, afraid of dredging up the past and forcing Aang to relive his trauma.</p><p>This shouldn't be so hard, he thought.</p><p>I should be able to shut my brain off and enjoy the good of the moment, he told himself.</p><p>But still, he looked at the scar, at Aang laying forward on the bed. He wondered if it would hurt Aang if he reached over and brushed his fingers along the puckered skin. The thought crossed his mind that maybe he should never touch it, never bring it up. His and Aang's relationship was built on honesty but this was one of those things that fell into a grey area, he felt. Aang had never brought the topic up to him and maybe there was a reason for that.</p><p>"I can hear you thinking," said Aang suddenly.</p><p>"Sorry." Zuko smiled trying to fake calm.</p><p>"What's going on?" Suddenly Aang was on his side facing him and Zuko could no longer see the focus of all his attention the last while. It didn't take the image from his brain though. Unsurprisingly, he could remember every little detail about it even down to how much it looked like a hole in his back when you looked at it from the right angle. or the wrong angle, he supposed. Having a hole in your back didn't seem like something that was right. "Zuko? Love?"</p><p>Zuko shook the thoughts away. "It's nothing, Aang, I'm fine. Just... reflecting."</p><p>Aang gave him a dubious look. "Reflecting on what?"</p><p>"On, uh... stuff?"</p><p>"What kind of stuff?"</p><p>He felt like Sokka right now. When Sokka was stumbling to find the right words. It reminded him of that damn frog he spoke to before he joined the Gaang. "It doesn't matter."</p><p>"Your face says otherwise."</p><p>Did his face give everything away? He never thought it did. But others, especially Aang and his uncle, believed his face said more than he ever did. He got better at it though. Through knowing and being with Aang he felt himself get better.</p><p>"We don't need to talk about it," Zuko tried.</p><p>"But you want to?"</p><p>"I don't want to upset you."</p><p>"Then we should definitely talk about it. If it's bothering you and might upset me we should talk about it. That sounds like the kind of thing couples should talk about."</p><p>Aang was probably right. Couples who talked about everything seemed to be the stronger for it. But how were you supposed to bring up something that could potentially trigger a trauma someone went through and have them relive that for the sake of you getting it off your chest? Was that not selfish? Especially if you were part of the reason they went through that trauma in the first place. It was all so confusing to him. He wanted to do the good thing.</p><p>"I don't know how to say it without hurting you."</p><p>Aang grasped his hand. "Are you trying to hurt me?"</p><p>"No, of course not," he said.</p><p>"Then it's not malicious so you shouldn't feel bad."</p><p>Zuko took a deep breath. "Do you ever think about your scar and how you got it?"</p><p>Aang's expression went from imploring to understanding so fast it made Zuko's head spin. "Is that what's been bothering you? Do you think I blame you for it? Because I don't. I think about my scar because I can feel it and whether I like it or not it's part of me now, but I don't blame you for it or associate you with what happened."</p><p>"How? It's partly my fault. If I hadn't sided with Azula in the cave that time, if I hadn't turned on you, then she might not have gotten the upper hand."</p><p>"And if I had been more focused on the battle it wouldn't have happened."</p><p>"Don't blame yourself." He sounded fierce to his own ears which wasn't what he was going for. All he wanted was for Aang to know this was in no way his fault and he should never feel responsible for what happened to him.</p><p>"Could you try taking your own advice?" Aang suggested gently. "For me?"</p><p>"Maybe I could try."</p><p>"You're a good man. That might be hard for you to believe still, but you are. I don't want this eating away at you. Guilt has a way of doing that. It chews you up and spits you out until there's nothing left of you." Aang took his hand away from his and reached up to his face. "I don't want this to eat away at you. What happened back then was not entirely your fault. Yes, you were there and you sided with your sister but that was part of your journey. We have no way of knowing what would have happened if you were on our side in that. It could have ended the same way. Or maybe it would have ended differently. What we do know is it's in the past and we can't change it."</p><p>"I would if I could."</p><p>"I'm not sure I would." It surprised him to hear Aang say that. "The scar hurts sometimes and that's a negative. But it also reminds me of why I need to be at my best. It's something that keeps me focused now when I need to be in the Avatar State."</p><p>Aang's thoughts on it made sense. In a way, it was so different from his own because he would give everything to get rid of it. His own scar was a mark of his identity. Everyone knew who he was because of it and it was like having all his misdeeds show on his face. It never bothered Aang though. He would touch it and kiss it and was never afraid to look directly at his face. He never flinched. Zuko had never quite reached that place. But maybe if he grew more familiar with Aang's scar, he could reach the same level of okayness with it. Or close enough considering Aang played no part in Zuko getting his. It was making sense in his head at least.</p><p>"Would it be okay if I touched it?" he asked.</p><p>"Sure. But be gentle, okay? It can still hurt when something touches it."</p><p>Zuko wasn't sure he wanted that. "Maybe I shouldn't then."</p><p>"Don't be afraid. I'll tell you if it's too much." Aang rolled onto his stomach again. "Ready when you are."</p><p>With the scar in view again he tried to see it the way Aang did. As a reminder of why it was important to be focused in battle. It wasn't the same for him but it wasn't as bad now. Although he still wished it wasn't there. It was something they shared a little bit of.</p><p>"Guess it's something else we have in common."</p><p>Aang looked over his shoulder at him and smiled. "I was afraid to say that but yeah."</p><p>Zuko shrugged. "You don't have to be afraid either. It's true. We've both been marked physically by members of my family. Mine might be more visible to people but it doesn't take from the fact yours exists. It's part of you forever now."</p><p>"Just like you're part of me forever now."</p><p>"Yeah," he breathed and slowly, painfully so, he reached out and with the tip of his index finger, he traced a line around the edges of Aang's scar. He could feel Aang shiver. It was subtle, but the press of skin on skin meant he could feel it. He took his time with the skin. He reminded himself to be gentle and not rush this. The last thing he wanted was for Aang to feel pain at his touch.</p><p>The moment was more intimate than he expected. Touching the scar was like touching Aang for the first time. The rush of emotion, the anticipation of what would come next, the bond that was formed, it was like reliving their first time all over again. Only this felt more. It felt like a barrier that had existed between them was now broken. He had never felt so close to Aang before. He was glad, in a way, that Aang pushed him to do this now. He might have brought it up but if it weren't for Aang.</p><p>"You're amazing, you know that?"</p><p>"I love you too, Sifu Hotman."</p><p>"I didn't think it would feel like this."</p><p>"Like what?"</p><p>"Like everything between us is out in the open now. Like we are closer than we've ever been."</p><p>"I guess that's true. We never talked about this before but now we have and now you've faced your fear of it."</p><p>"I wasn't afraid-" he started to argue before Aang cut him off.</p><p>"Not in the typical sense, no. But you avoided it for so long out of shame and the shame led to some fear, which was a barrier between us."</p><p>He wanted no more barriers. He leaned forward and gently placed a kiss near the injured skin. Aang's whole body shivered then and Zuko smiled. He placed another kiss on the other side. Then he moved his mouth closer and closer until he kissed the scar itself and at that moment, he felt this sense of relief overcome him. He hadn't realised just how much it had settled in his head. But now he thought he could finally let go of some of the guilt while choosing to carry the rest so he would never repeat the mistakes of the past.</p><p>"Thank you," he whispered.</p><p>Aang turned back to face him. Instead of answering, he pulled him close and all time and worry was lost.</p>
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